ROLL CALL: Memorial group seeks names of veterans

From Staff Reports

August 18, 2008 - Hopkins County Veterans Memorial Committee has been working hard designing the monument, finding a location and collecting money for the tribute memorial to honor all county veterans, past and present.

Now they're turning their attention to the most important part of the mission.

Committee members are asking for submissions of names of present or former Hopkins County residents who have honorably served in the military or who have a family member who has honorably served.

They can have served any time, beginning with the Revolutionary War through present conflicts. Veterans of all armed service branches are sought: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Reserves, National Guard, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines.

"All who have worn the uniform of our country are to be honored in our living memorial presently being funded and to be constructed on Heritage Square," notes Clayton McGraw, chairman of the Veterans Memorial Executive Board.

The Veterans Memorial Committee, with the support of the Downtown Business Alliance, the city of Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County Commissioners Court, plans to construct a park-like memorial with architecture that will complement the county courthouse.

The overall goal for the memorial is to "perpetuate the memory of Hopkins County veterans who have served their county with honor: that their dedication, deeds, and sacrifice be a constant source of motivation toward great accomplishment and patriotism."

A model of the veterans memorial is currently making a circuit of Sulphur Springs banks so all citizens may view how the Veterans Memorial will look in relation to the courthouse and town square.

Fund-raisers are being held and donations collected to cover the costs of erecting the memorial.

Some people are also "sponsoring" certain veterans. As of June 30, 785 veterans' names were being sponsored. Another 3,088 names have been submitted for inclusion on the wall, but no sponsors had stepped forward as of March 1. Sponsorship is not required, however, when submitting names of veterans for inclusion in the memorial, as the committee hopes to honor all or as many Hopkins County veterans are known.

Donations of any size are always welcome to help fund the veterans memorial. To submit veteran information for the memorial or to learn more about donating, contact Clayton McGraw at 903-439-7410 or Joe Scott, veterans service officer, at 903-439-1065, or visit the HC Veterans Memorial website: www.hcvm.org

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